I went to Guam in the hope of going around the companies there to hand out my CV/ resume and see if I could get an interview at the same time. Working on the principle that being able to put a face to a CV is always better.
Anyway, I got pulled at immigration for a full 3rd degree interview and also got all my baggage searched top to bottom as well. Nothing left unturned. I told them that I planned to go around these companies and told them exactly what I was trying for and that I would be there for 12 days before returning to Bangkok. I also had a valid return ticket.
Anyway, in their wisdom they decided that I was there to work illegally and deported me on the same plane that I had arrived by 3 hours earlier. I was told that by the officials that this would not affect me if I wanted to go back to the contiguous mainland US if I wanted to do any further training ( I have an FAA CPC(H) + IR ) as I departed. I was unhappy as I headed back to Bangkok but there was nothing I could do about it.
In Bangkok I applied for a visa to go to the US to do some more training and was refused because of this incident in Guam which now means that I am effectively banned from the US. All this for being up front and honest with them. And it has cost me a small fortune.
I am a Brit by birth and a Brit passport holder and a Brit resident and I thought that we were all on the same side! So much for the "special relationship"!
If you go to Guam on spec. do not utter one word with regard to work or you just might end up in the same situation as myself. Take care and good luck.
